Council grant and 'healthy bank balance' protects future of Newport Carnival

The theme for this year's Newport Carnival, which is set to take place on June 8, will be Past, Present and Future.

Councillor Graham Foster, chairman of the Carnival Committee, said: "The finances are in excellent shape. Newport Town Council has generously agreed to award a grant of £8,000 to help support the continued growth of the carnival after its move from Shuker Field to the High Street area of the town.

"That money, together with a healthy bank balance, and the offer of other generous grants and donations means that the carnival is safe for years to come.

"The success of the carnival is always down to the generosity of the council and the businesses and charities in the town.

"There is always a need for more sponsors and help, but should you require any further information or would like to sponsor or get involved with the carnival please get in touch."

Schools

Graham said the theme was chosen after speaking with schools. He said Past, Present and Future gave a greater scope to be creative for those participating.

He said: "Local and national history could be covered under the heading of past, whilst current issues around conservation, recycling, and the green planet could be considered under present. In the future, groups could consider issues around what our town or planet could be like in the future."

Last year's carnival once again saw people lining the streets to see the efforts people had made. Thousands of people turned out to enjoy the festivities.

The carnival itself was opened by Mayor Peter Scott, along with 17-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alice Kinsella.

The theme was "countries of the world," inspired by the FIFA World Cup.

More than 25 floats got involved in the procession, including efforts by local schools, nurseries, clubs and organisations. Many of the town's businesses joined in with the theme by putting on window displays. Entertainment included a full day of live music provided by Newport Open Mic, which saw a range of local performers delight the crowd with a variety of music.

Anybody who would like to get involved in this year's Newport Carnival should contact Graham via grahamfoster21@gmail.com